Class I. BADGER. 103 



smell; this seems peculiar to the badger and the 

 Hya?na. 



This animal is not mentioned by Aristotle; 

 not that it was unknown to the antients, for 

 Pliny takes notice of it. # 



Naturalists once distinguished the badger by 

 the name of the swine-badger, and the dog- 

 badger, from the supposed resemblance of their 

 heads to those animals, and so divided them 

 into two species; but the most accurate ob- 

 servers have been able to discover only one 

 kind ; that, whose head and nose resemble those 

 of the dog. 



The skin of the badger, when dressed with 

 the hair on, is used for pistol furniture. The 

 Highlanders make their pendent pouches of it. 

 The hair is frequently used for making brushes 

 to soften the shades in painting, which are called 

 sweetening tools. These animals are also 

 hunted in the winter nights for the sake of their 

 flesh ; for the hind quarters may be made into 

 hams, not inferior in goodness to the best bacon. 

 The fat is in great request for ointments and 

 salves. 



In China it seems to be a more common food 



* Alia solertia in metu Melibus, suinatse cutis distentu ictus 

 hominum et morsus canum arcent. Lib. viii. c. 38. 



